Grahovo (region)

The region's area roughly comprises 219 km2, west of Rudine, in the centre between Petrovići and Cuce, from the top of Orjen mountain to the west of the Ostrog Monastery.The name Grahovo is composed of Serbo-Croatian grah (bean) (from Proto-Slavic *gorxъ) and -ovo (from Proto-Slavic *-ovъ), a suffix used in Slavic languages to indicate a placename, thereby making the name of Grahovo, 'place of beans'.

The field was formed in limestones of Cretaceous age, on the border with dolomites, and its bottom was covered with fluvioglacial deposits of the Orient Glacia, with an average thickness of 10 meters.

The Region of Grahovo is determined by the following settlements that were part of the Municipality which was abolished in 1960, The settlements are Balosave, Bare, Broćanac, Vilusi, Grahovac, Grahovo, Gornje Polje, Dolovi, Zagora, Zaslap, Jabuke, Nudo, Podbužer, Riječani and Spila.

Already at the end of VI and start of the 7th century; after the destruction of Doclea (602), and the areas of the Slavs, who penetrate the Balkan Peninsula and inhabit it.The geographical names of settlements and buildings also speak of these diameters.

It is interesting that the names of the villages and some larger ones localities (except Vilus and Spila) Slavic: Grahovo, Grahovac, Zaslap.

According to traditional belief, the tribe Riđani and other brotherhoods extensively tried to emigrate towards the fertile lands of the Grahovo field, However they faced resistance from the Mataruge natives.

[13] In 1469 Riđani were one of the "Vlach" tribes that participated in the kidnapping of a young male and female population of Konavle and Herzegovina.

One of the knezes (princes) of Riđani in the Ottoman period was Sinan, who was also chieftain of Banjani, and son-in-law of Ali Paša Hercegović.

[21] Another one of his writings conclude that he would attempt to strengthen the Grahovo field with 500 Soldiers, as to which they would guard places which were the most important.

It was ordered by Ilija Balotić that with the Nikšići tribe, which demanded to have high salaries, that they would move into the Grahovo field on the day of Saint Nikola.

The settlers will build and share homes with each other which will be organized and supported by Calvary Bolica, and Captain Krsto Zmajević from Perast.

From the rest of the population and new settlers, Uskoks, three smaller tribal groups were formed from the middle of the eighteenth century - Krivošije, Grahovo, and Nikšić Rudine, while a part of the territory of Riđa was appropriated by Čevljani and Cuce.

The karst area of Grahovo, which stretches between Krivošije, Cuce, Banjani, and Nikšićki Rudini, was, as a border zone, the reason for frequent conflicts between Montenegrins and Turks.

[7]Main articles: (Battle of Grahovo) (Battle of Grahovac)After the rise of Petar II Petrović-Njegoš to power in the Prince-Bishopric of Montenegro, members of the Grahovo tribe, led by vojvoda Jakov Daković refused to pay haraç to the Ottoman authorities and joined the rest of Montenegrins in guerrilla warfare in Ottoman-controlled Herzegovina, expressing the desire to unite with Montenegro.

The battle that ensued took place when a band of around 300 young men led by Joko Petrović-Njegoš, arrived at Grahovo and decided to attack the Ottoman army without waiting for reinforcements.

[26] In late September 1840, Montenegrins attracted Čengić and his army deep into their territory, organized an ambush, and murdered them by attacking their camp during the night.

On 30 April, Hussein Pasha offered a truce to Montenegrin commander-in-chief Grand Duke Mirko Petrović-Njegoš, but he refused it, although he did allow the Ottomans time to bury their dead.

The glory of Montenegrin weapons was soon immortalised in the songs and literature of all the South Slavs, in particular the Serbs in Vojvodina, then part of Austria-Hungary.

Montenegro gained Grahovo, Rudine, Nikšići, more than half of Drobnjaci, Tušina, Uskoci, Lipovo, Upper Vasojevići, and part of Kuči and Dodoši.

In 1864 King Nicholas I built the Church of the Ascension on the site of Hussein Pasha's headquarters,[29] and in 2008, the Montenegrin government revealed an obelisk which honours the battle and its participants.

Both on the church and the obelisk read the famous quotation from Petar II Petrović-Njegoš's The Mountain Wreath: The monument to your bravery is Montenegro and its freedom.

[33] Due to the large spread propaganda against the King of Montenegro, Nikola Petrović-Njegoš, Most of the population was against the Zelenaši Uprising of 1919.

When the uprising in Montenegro started, Captain Stojan Popović from Belgrade came to Grahovo and organized units against the rebellion.

Most of the population started to slowly leave the area and most notably a stream of emigration followed with the 1979 Earthquakes of Montenegro.

Milica did not want to become a Turk or follow him, even though he was seen loudly, but she told him in front of the people: "Make a well in Bar, and bring the living water to Ševrljug below Grahovac, and then you will be my master."

Beg agreed to this without discussion, continued the construction and in a year and a half finished the work to the satisfaction of the people of Grahovlje, the prince and his daughter.

in the presence of the fugitive, his entourage, the prince and the citizens of Grahovlje, young Milica inspected the water supply - the gift of her fiancé.

[30] The song "Oj Junaštva Svijetla Zoro Oj" originates from the Battle of Grahovo, First recorded in 1863, It was a component song of the "Battle of Grahovo or blood feud in Montenegro" (Бој на Грахову или крвна освета у Црној Гори) heroic play in three parts.

Grahovo used to have 17 cafes and shops, billiards were played here between the two world wars, there was also street lighting, and each village had its own library.